Earlier this month, Democrats in the Wisconsin legislature have introduced yet again another bill to pass physician assisted suicide in Wisconsin. A topic that in the past couple years, has failed to gain traction in the legislature.
According to an X post made by radio talk show host, Dan O’Donnell, Wisconsin Democrats have reintroduced legislation to approve physician assisted suicide. The bill, would create a statewide palliative care council. The bill would also prevent the council on palliative care from advising on procedures such as physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and medical aid in dying. Currently, the state does not allow physician assisted suicide.
The only practice allowed is the removal of life sustaining treatment. This includes machines that help patients breathe, circulate blood, or provide other life sustaining functions, to be “unplugged” or removed from a patient.
Wisconsin makes intentionally aiding a suicide a felony and has been enforced for decades. The state expanded end-of-life options in the 2000s through living wills, Do Not Recessitate (DNR) orders, and healthcare powers of attorney. (RELATED: Wisconsin Squandered $18.5 Million in Medicaid Funds for Autism Therapy, Federal Audit Finds)
In the 2010s, legislators introduced recurring proposals modeled on the Oregon-style “death with dignity” laws, including versions called the “Our Care, Our Options Act,” which would have allowed terminally ill adults to request life-ending medication under strict guidelines. These bills were repeatedly introduced across multiple legislatures but has consistently failed to advance out of committee.
The bill’s language specifically states: “LRB 5643 would permit a Wisconsin resident who is at least 18 years of age, mentally capable, and has a terminal disease with a prognosis of less than six months to live to voluntarily request medication from their attending healthcare provider for the purpose of ending their life in a peaceful, humane, and dignified manner.”
Most recently, Illinois became the 12th state to allow physician assisted suicide in the nation. The provision will take effect in September of 2026, for what the government says allows medical professionals to have “stringent processes and protections” for when the provisions will be implemented.
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